Fusible link.



A. C. ROWLEY.

VFUSIBLE LINK.

APPLICATION FILED IIIII.6. Isls.

Patented Mar. 7

/ I y I I INVEN TOR I .nd/ar //m/q WITNESSES ATTORNEYS 4inairni) STATES. PATENT oFF-ICE.

ARTHUR c. RowLEY, or PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, AssIeNon'ro'^AssoeiAraizav 'f' AUToMATIc sPniNKLEn co., or PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A concurran" OF DELAWARE.

FUSIBIE LINK. 1 i' To all whom t may concern:

vBe it known that I, ARTHUR C. Roivuir,"

suitable for use with :automatic sprinklers for lire extinguishing apparatus or other devices wherein it is desirable to hold certain parts of the mechanism in positive relation until the temperature in the vicinity'of the apparatus reaches a point sufficient to cause the softening of a fusible binding ma;

'terial uniting'the parts of the linkl to permit the separation thereof to-release the mechato' secure the members of the link in assemnism to which the link is applied.

y Among the principal objects ofmy invention are to provide a fusible link which shall be positive and elicient in operation and in which a positive separation' of the members thereof. will instantly take place as soon as the temperature in the vicinity of the Alink is raised sufficiently to cause the melting of the fusible material which serves bled relation.

Further objects of my invention are to provide a fusi-ble link which shall comprise a minimum number of parts, which may be cheaply and readily constructed, and which` construction and arrangement hereinafter A more definitely specified.

In the accompanying drawing is illustrated a fusible link constructed in accord' ance with one embodiment of my invention, Figure 1 showing a side elevation lof the link in operativeposition upon fragmentary portions of the lever arms of an automaticv sl'irinkler; Fig'. 2a`central vertical section of the link removedfrom lt-lie arms; `Fig. 3

a perspective View of the two zmembers composing the linlrand separatedfron'i each other; Fig. 4 asimilar view of the members in partially assembled position, and Figqo a fra ginentary front "elevationof yone, of said@ members."4

specication of Letters Patent. Appiicatio med january s, 1915. 'serial No.v 754.

. integral lug 2 extendingV outwardly from its',

'the body portion, still considerin the meinv opening formed between the ears 9l andtheiO 'loii'erextrem'itylof the body willy be slightly'.y

Patented MaI-#7, At191-6, f

That form or embodiment 'of' myinvfention illustrated in the drawing. comprises a pair ofmembe'rs A and B, the 's id members y j being in all: respects identical" with each i other, and .being assembled, "as hereinafter j 6e l described, to form the completed Con'- sideringeither of the said members, for ex-- "i ample, mem'ber A, the same may consist of a iatbody portion, preferably substantially-v rectangular in form and. having a suitable-v upper extremity, when viewed in tli'ef-posi-"v tion shown in Fig. 3, preferabl rsubstantiallyA semi-circular'or velliptica in foi-in:l provided with a suitable aperture 3 suitable '70 for the reception of the hooked levers g5 'with l which the srinkler head, or-'other device to which the link is designed to be attached, may be provided. The member may preferably be formed' fromusuitable sheet metal of substantially constant thiclmess, and may be provided adjacent the upper and lower extremities of j,

peratively' ber A as shown in Fig. 3, wit pairs of f spaced ears 8 and 9, the ears all being prefer ably of equal size, and the, upper pairof ears 8 extending from. adjacent therv side edges 10, of the lug 2 where it joins thevbody 1 to the Iside edges 12 thereof, the `outer side edges of the ears being preferably coincident therewith, and the pair ofears 9 preferably l i lg extending downwardly from the lower edgev of the body portion 1 and inwardly frorrnf, the side edges 12 thereof along said lewe edge, so that, as the said ears 9 are identica in size with the ears 8, a space will be lef p between the inner edges of said'earsy 9 along f the lower edge of the body 1 substantiall)1 equal in width tothe width lof' the-lugYQ' 95-l where it joins the body. The ears are pref-v erably slightly beveled on their innerfedg'es i from theirpoints of juncture with the body portion to their extremities and towaidthe side edge 12 of the body'so that a-s'malL'Z-ijooj substantially V-sliape'cl'-cleara1ice 15 will-beiV l and the sidejedges 10 of the lugf. between f the ears S andthe luggwliile the sides ofthe j outwardly divergent, as best -shown inA lfig.-I 5. Each airvof ears, moreover, is prefer'l ably bent rom the plane of the bodyl along..

per and lower extremities thereof substantially 459 from the plane of the body, but

in opposite directions therefrom, so that,

still considering member A in Fig. 3. the

.upper pairs of ears S will extend forwardly `atsubstantially 45 from the vertical andy from the body. The angle at which-the ears are bent from the plane ofthe body may, however, be varied as desired.

The body of each member is preferablyprovided with a plurality of projections or ridges andQl, which are struck up from the body in such manner that they extend in opposite4 directions, the ridgeQO in member A of Fig. 3 extending folwvardlvand the ridge 2l?y rearwardly beyond the surfaces of rthe body. These ridges preferably extend parallel to the upper andlower extremities of the body for a .considerable distance across the face thereof, and are preferably so proportioned that the exterior dimensions i of the smaller ridge Q1 will be sul'istantially similar to the interior dimensions of the larger ridge 20, and are so disposed with relation to the body that' when the members are assembled to form the completed link as .hereinafter|` described, the exterior of the v smaller ridge will be adapted to fit or nest i from suitable sheet metal. the rid within the interior of the larger. vlt will be understood that while but two ridges are illustrated in the drawing, a greater number may be employed if desired and the size and `configuration of the ridges may also be variedas required.

' The members of the link' which. as hither` -to stated, 'are preferably identical in all re,- spects, may be formed in any suitable or cony link, comprising a pair ot' the men'ibers.v may now bel assembled by inverting and reversing one of the members 'from the position shown at A in Fig. 3 to the position shown at'B in the same figure. and then bringing the two members together, as shown in Fig. 4,' With their side edges 12 coincident. in which position the smaller ridge 2l upon either member will restwithin the large ridge Q0 upon the opposing member and the lug Q upon either member project between the ears 9 on the opposing member. In thisv xposition the members may be secu-red together by suitable fusible metal or solder 25 spread, by any suitable and convenient ,means `between the opposed faces of the bodyv portion and the ears as best shown in Fig. 2.

.The link is now assembled and in condition to be attached to the sprinkler head or other apparatus with which it is designed to be employed, as shown in Fig. l, and will remain in assembled relation thereon to maintain the parts thereof, as levers 5,

in posi-tive normal relation. until the teniperature in the vicinity of the link is raised above the melting point of the fusible material 25, which will cause the materialto Lgive way and the members of the link to instantly separate, the strain exerted by the arms 5, or other devices to which the link may be. attached, causing the surfaces of the smaller ridges to ride along the surfaces of I the interior of the larger ridges and then 'up upon and along the adjacent surfaces of the bodies of the members. thusl tending to force the members apart in a direction substantially normal to the direction of the strain exerted by the arms. and counteracting any tendency toward a delayed separation of the members owing to adhesion arising from incomplete fusing of the fusible 'material or other causes.

It will be evident that while the link is assembleld and in normal position upon the books l5. or other device to which itl is attached. -a large portion of the strain exerted by the arms will/be. diverted from the 'fusible material 25 between the members and transferred to and absorbed by the bent ea'rs 8 and fl. as well as by the ridgesin the bodies of themembers. thus tending to prevent any creeping' i of the members due to the weakness of the fusible material itself, whereby the members will be held firmly in their proper assembled.relation until the fusible metal is melted or materially softened by a sufiicient increase in temperature in the vicinity of the link. It will also be evident that. owing to the clearance space 15 between the ears and edges of the lugs, no resistance to the instant separation of the men'ibers of the link can arise by reason of any friction between the lugs and the ears owing. for instance. to a slight disalinement of the members of the linki'in assembling, or from other causes, and which might tend to retard the instantaneous separation of the members. It will` furthermore be evident, while 'l have illustrated the link in Fig. l, in operative position upon the fragmentary [Nations of the arms of a sprinkler head, ten ding normally to sepa rate. under the pressure of the fluid within the sprinkler. system. and which tendency is normally resisted by the operation of the link, that my improved link is equally adapted for usein connection with mechanisms having parts' tending normally to close together instead of to separate. and that when used. 1n connection with such devices, the link will normally be under compression instead of under tension an will serve tomaintain the parts lift may be attached to move toward each other to eifegctlthepnrposes of the device.

'iVhile l Shave illustrated and described 'herein but one' form'bf my improved link, I

do not desire to limit myself specifically to that embodiment of the device, as it will bev evident that various changes may be made in the details of construction and arrangement of the' yarious pai'ts thereof without departingfrom the spiritand scope of the invention `as defined in the appended claims.

.Having thus fully described my invention, I claimy and desire to pi'otect by Letters Patent of the nit'ed States:

1. A fusible link comprising a plurality of similar members'.l each-of said members comprising a body 'portion and a plurality of ears adjacent opposite extremities thereof, projecting beyond said body portion in :angular relation therewith and in substantially parallel planes.

2. A fusible link comprising a plurality of similar members. each of said membersy haying a.. body portion and a plurality of pairs of ears proiecting outwardly therefrom and in angular relation therewith, and

'a plurality of struck up ridges in said .body

portion projecting in opposite directions above the surfaces thereof.

3. A fusible link comprising' a plurality of similar members, each of said members having a substantially rectangular body portion and a pair of eai's projecting beyond either end of said body portion, one of said pairs of ears being turned from the plane of said body portion in one direction and the other pair of ears being turned from said vplane in the other direction, and a lugl projecting outwardly from said body portion between one of said pairs of ears.

-L A fusible link comprising a plurality of similar members. each of said members having a substantially rectangular body portion and a pair of ears projecting beyond either end of said body portion, one

of said pairs of ears being turned fi'om the plane of said body portion in one direction and the other pair of ears being turned from said plane in the other direction, a lug lying in the plane of said body portion and projecting outwardly therefrom between one pairsof ears being bent from the-plane of said body portion-and extending in opposite directions therefrom, and in substantially parallel planes, aV lug 'projecting between one of said kpairs of ears, anda plurality of struck up ridges extending beyond the sur-.

faces of said body and in opposite directions' therefron'i, said ridges being so disposed upon' said member as to rest within or contain corresponding ridges upon the other of said members when said members are assembled to'form the completed link.

` G. A fusible link comprising a pair of inversely and oppositely disposed similar members. each of Y'said members having a substantially rectangular flat body portion having a pair of Ioutwardly projecting ears at either extremity, each of said ears being outwardly 'beveled toward its end, a lug'extending outwardly from said body portion between one of said pairs of eai's and having an opening, and fusible material operatitve to secure said members in fixed relation.

7. A fusible link comprising apair lof inversely and oppositely-disposed simil-ar members, each offsaid members having-a substantially rectangular flat body portion having a pair of outwardly projecting ears at either extremity, one pair of said ears being bent from the 'plane of said body for substantially 45 in one direction, and the Yother pair of said ears being similarly bent in the opposite direction, and each of said ears being outwardlyibeveled towardits end, a lug extending outwardly from said body portion between one pair of said ears and having an opening` a plurality of struck up ridges projecting above the surfaces of said body portion' and so disposed as to aline with the corresponding ridges of the other of said members when said link is assembled, and fusible material operative to secure said members in fixed relation.

8.v In a fusible link, a member comprising a body portion and a pair of ears projecting beyond each of two opposed extremities thereof, each pair of ears being respectively bent from the ,plane ofsaid hotly portion i'i' a direction opposite to that of the :other pair.

9. In a fusible link. a member comprising a' body portion and a pair of ears projecting bevond each of two opposed extremities thereof, said ears being bent from the pla-ne of said body portion in opposite directions and outwardly beveled toward their'ends. and a plurality of projections struck up from said body portion and extending in opposite directions therefrom.'

10..In a fusible link, a member Vcomprising a body portion having an outwardly extending lug, a pair of ears disposed on loo either sidevof said lug, a second pair of ears disposed opposite said first mentioned pair with relation to said body and spaced-(from each other for a distancel corresponding to the Width of said lug.

' l1. In a fusible link, a member comprising a substantially flat body portion having an outwardly extending lug having an apen ture,- a pair of ears disposed on either side of said lug, a second pair of ears disposed oppositefsaid first mentioned pair with relation to said body and spaced from leach other for a distance corresponding to the width of said lug, each of said pairs of ears "being bent in opposite directions from the two of its respectively oiipositc extremities and 1n substantially parallel planes.

13. A fuslble link comprising' a pair of similar members each having a body portion' and ears extending beyond each of two of the opposite extremities thereof in angular relation therewith and in substantiallyT par .allel planes, said members being' assembled in respectively inverse and reverse relation and normally united by fusible material. Y

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 5th day of January, A, D., 1915.

ARTHUR C. ROWLE Y.

lVitnesses: v

GEORGE K. HnLnEn'i,

ALEXANDER PARK. 

